October was National Bullying Prevention Month, an annual campaign started in 2006 to illuminate the problem in schools and enhance prevention efforts. However, we still have a ways to go in zero tolerance in schools for bullying.

In order to see bullying decline in an era where people can anonymously post hurtful words and agendas, we need kids to recognize bullying as something people do when they are not operating from a healthy internal state.

When a student walked past my brother and yelled the "r-word" (retard) at Kevin and his classmates, I knew I had to stand up for my brother. I avoided physical confrontation, but I used my most powerful weapon -- my voice.

By helping girls gain confidence and relationship skills and providing them with the tools necessary to advocate for themselves and others, we are developing leaders who build consensus, resolve conflicts and bridge divides between people

While bullying prevention is certainly an important measure, it neglects the needs of potential victims of suicide. We need more programming to prevent suicide, which is quite clearly a risk factor for those who are bullied.

Just as sleep plays a critical role in restoring our cognitive functions, the ability to step away from abuse to process, evaluate and take action is essential to mental health. Without that clarity stress can reach a tipping point with alarming intensity.

As much as bullying hogs the headlines' limelight, there's still a lot of confusion about it. October is National Bullying Prevention Month and to demystify the hot topic for both parents and educators, I recently caught up with Elizabeth Englander.

Our experiences growing up with bullying affected us in some challenging ways, but it also motivated us to work hard to prevent others from living through what we experienced. While resources weren't available then, it gives us relief and joy to see them available today.

Unfortunately, as I begin college, I haven't had my last experience with bullying. When most people think of bullying they think of physical brutality or mean girls spreading rumors -- both of which have happened to me. The reality is that bullying comes in many forms and sometimes happens when and where we least expect it.

The impact of bullying is profound. It can lead to a plethora of physical and psychological problems that can be life-long. And far too often it leads to suicide, one of the main causes of death among school-age and college students in the U.S.

We need to change society's attitude towards bullying; we have to educate each other about the things that make us the unique individuals we are -- the same things that other people use as a basis for bullying.